Lincoln Almond on Energy & Oil

Former Republican RI Governor

Voluntary partnerships reduce greenhouse gases economically.

Almond adopted the National Governors Association policy:

Considering the evidence and the risks of both overreaction and underreaction, the Governors recommend that the federal government continue its climate research, including regional climate research, to improve scientific understanding of global climate change. The Governors also recommend taking steps that are cost-effective and offer other social and economic benefits beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, the Governors support voluntary partnerships to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while achieving other economic and environmental goals.

The Governors are committed to working in partnership with the federal government, businesses, environmental groups, and others to develop and implement voluntary programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in conjunction with conserving energy, protecting the environment, and strengthening the economy.

The Governors urge that those
who have successfully achieved reductions of greenhouse emissions receive appropriate credit for their early actions. The Governors strongly encourage these kinds of voluntary efforts.

The Governors believe that federally required implementation of any treaty provisions, including those that mandate limits or reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, must not occur before the U.S. Senate ratifies an international agreement and Congress passes enabling legislation.

The Governors support continued federal funding for research and development technology in this area. They also believe it is essential to engage the private sector by fostering technology partnerships between industry and government. Public-private partnerships serve to achieve desired environmental goals, speed the introduction of new technologies to the marketplace, and meet consumer needs and product affordability goals, while avoiding market distortions and job losses.

Kyoto Treaty must include reductions by all countries.

Almond adopted the National Governors Association policy:

The Governors recommend that the federal government continue to seek the advice of state and local officials and nongovernmental organizations with expertise in economic, trade, jobs, public health, and environmental issues and assess the potential economic and environmental consequences of proposed policies and measures, including a thorough and broadly accepted analysis of costs and benefits. The Governors recommend that the US:

not sign or ratify any agreement that mandates new commitments to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the US, unless such an agreement mandates new specific scheduled commitments to limit or reduce greenhouse gas emissions for developing countries within the same compliance period;

aggressively undertake strategies for including emissions-reduction commitments from developing countries;

not sign or ratify any agreement that would result in serious harm to the US economy;

support flexible policies and measures in
continuing negotiations that provide an opportunity for the US to meet global environmental goals without jeopardizing US jobs, trade, or economic competitiveness;

insist on flexible implementation timetables in continuing negotiations that permit affected parties adequate time to plan strategies for meeting commitments; and

ensure that no single sector, state, or nation is disproportionately disadvantaged by the implementation of international policies.

If appropriate international commitments are established and are ratified by the US, the Governors believe implementation should be allowed to be achieved through cost-effective market-based activities, which account for scientifically verifiable and accountable reductions in greenhouse gas levels regardless of where the reductions are achieved. Any multinational emissions trading program must provide a flexible and workable framework that takes full advantage of market forces and maximizes international participation.

Create Regional Emissions Registry for GHG trading.

Almond signed the New England Governors' Conference resolution:

WHEREAS, the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) have developed a Climate Change Action Plan to address actions to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases in the Region and adapt our economies and social infrastructure to the negative impacts likely to result from climate change; and

WHEREAS, within the region, greenhouse gas emissions within one jurisdiction associated with cleaner energy production, can be offset by greenhouse gas emission reductions within another jurisdiction, resulting from the replacement of higher carbon intensity fuels with imported cleaner energy; and

WHEREAS, the Conference recognizes that substantial opportunities to improve conservation and efficiency in energy use and transportation are embodied in the Climate Change Action Plan [with the following summary of Action Items]:

The Establishment of a Regional Standardized GHG Emissions Inventory

The Establishment of a Plan
for Reducing GHG Emissions and Conserving Energy

The Creation of a Regional Emissions Registry and the Exploration of a Trading Mechanism

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that NEG/ECP accepts the Climate Change Action Plan and [commits to its] implementation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that [NEG/ECP commits to] work together to address regional energy and environmental issues such as integrated approaches to energy reliability, fuel diversity, regional emission credit trading, energy conservation, and improved energy facility and transmission siting.